A Dance
by LKB
Summary: A special occasion is happening on Voyager, and the Captain and Commander discuss the events that led them to this day.


A Dance  
  
Inspired by the Song, "All My Life" by K-Ci and JoJo  
  
  
The walls in the dining hall were illuminated by speckles of colored light that swirled over them  
as a collection of soft and relaxing 21st century music played. A few tables outlined the walls, covered  
in plates of delicious foods prepared by Neelix over the last few days. Filling the otherwise emtpy room  
was the crew of Voyager, clothed in their finest for the occasion, and all bearing the gentlest of  
genuine smiles. All were paired off, enjoying each others' company and dancing to the music, all  
keeping their eyes on their Captain and First Officer, who danced closely together in the center of  
the crowd, completely unaware of the attention they were drawing.  
  
  
There was no mistaking the love that gleamed in the eyes of Captain Kathryn Janeway and Commander   
Chakotay. Their smiles were heavenly, and they abosrbed every moment of this gathering. What more could either ever ask for? They were together on Voyager surrounded by the crew, their family, and each other. The evening had barely begun, and thoughts were flying through the happy couple's minds a million lightyears a  
minute. So much had happened in the last few years, and all of it had led them to this.  
  
Softly breaking the magical trance they were in, Kathryn spoke to Chakotay.  
  
"Do you remember when we were back on New Earth, and you basically confessed that you loved me?" she   
asked the Commander. Smiling, he gazed into her eyes and replied,   
  
"How could I forget? I told you the legend of the angry warrior, and in the end we had to stand by protocol..." Recalling this detail, a distant look of sadness fell into Chakotay's eyes for an instant, and then he was ok again, Knowing that there and now, protocol was non-existent. In this room, on this ship, in the far reaches of space, regulations had no control over love.  
  
"You know, Kathryn, there's another moment that I remember very clearly right now. When we received those  
letters from home, everyone was excited, except for you. You learned that Mark had married someone else,  
and you told me that you realized you had only been using him as a safety net to avoid getting involved with  
someone else. Did you know, at the moment you said that, I wanted to tell you that I loved you..." Chakotay smiled bashfully and gazed towards the floor.  
  
"Oh, Chakotay... I already knew you loved me... I was sure of that as I watched you cry when I was dying. You weren't about to let me go... you'd sacrifice your own life first. That's when I knew for sure."  
  
Both were enveloped then in a comfortable silence, words not being needed to say what they felt. Chakotay recalled, in his mind, how he and Kathryn Janeway had finally come together. He had no idea that Kathryn was having a similar memory.  
  
*******  
  
The night was dark and stormy. The away mission that had been sent to gather some supplies from the nearby M-Class Planet had turned dangerous as a ferocious storm battered the land and its temporary inhabitants. Somehow, the team, consisting of Chakotay, Tom Paris, and B'Elanna Torres had managed to make it back to their shuttle with supplies and Tom Paris had lifted the shuttle to get them off of the planet as quickly as possible. As the shuttle had begun to speed towards the edge of the atmosphere, a violent strike of lightning had rocked the shuttle, causing Tom to lose control and the shuttle to spin rapidly back towards the surface.   
  
Chakotay recalled gripping his seat in fear as they plummeted downward. He thought he was sure to die. Thoughts of his childhood and his father ran through his mind, and finally his mind stopped - on his Captain. He had never confessed his feelings for her, but they certainly ran very deep.  
  
"We will crash in 10 seconds!" came the alarm from Tom. "Brace for impact!"  
  
As the shuttle hit, everything went black. Chakotay, B'Elanna, and Tom remembered nothing after that until they awoke what seemed like an eternity later in sickbay.  
  
The Doctor had kept a close watch on the badly injured away team as they lay in Sickbay, unconscious, for the last 6 hours. Finally, B'Elanna began to stir, the first to awaken. Drastic surgery had taken place on Tom and Chakotay, but B'Elanna had managed to escape with only a broken arm and some scrapes, now healed, and a concussion. B'Elanna groaned and rubbed her aching forehead.  
  
"Doctor, how are Tom and Chakotay?" B'Elanna inquired, concern in her voice.  
  
"They are currently recovering from surgery. Tom will pull through just fine. He suffered some serious injuries to his legs, and minor injuries to his arms, but they are healing nicely. Chakotay, on the other hand, I am concerned about. He has some internal bleeding which I have managed to stop for now, but it could restart at any time." The Doctor's concern about the first officer was quite apparent on his face.  
  
Their conversation was suddenly interrupted by Janeway, who barged into the Sickbay, determined to check on the progress of her officers. She received the news well, or so it seemed. B'Elanna could have sworn that at the news about Chakotay's serious condition, a look of fear flashed across the Captain's face for an instant, then was gone.  
  
Her assumptions were correct. Captain Janeway excused herself, and before heading to the bridge to resume command, stopped by her ready room for a private moment. In her fear, Janeway would still not allow her emotions to overcome her. She wanted, more than anything, for Chakotay to be all right, and she took this moment to collect her thoughts and control her feelings before resuming command. Shortly, Janeway was on the bridge again.  
  
Back in Sickbay, Tom Paris had awaken and was having a quite conversation with his wife. He had been awake now for an hour, and was already feeling much better. The Doctor had recommended the two take a couple of days off, and they were looking forward to it.   
  
Suddenly, a groan came from the nearby bio-bed. Chakotay was stirring. The Doctor rushed to his side and managed to keep him still.  
  
"Where...am I? B'Elanna, Tom..."  
  
"Are doing well, now," said the Doctor. "You, on the other hand, are going to require a bit more healing time. You're bleeding internally, and I haven't quite gotten it under control."  
  
The doctor had made some progress, but Chakotay wasn't stable yet. Chakotay uttered one last comment before slipping back into a deep sleep.  
  
"Captain..."  
  
*******  
  
Chakotay and Kathryn swept gracefully across the dance floor, caught up in an endless moment in time. The scene of the decorated dining hall filled with happy people seemed so distant, as the couple felt that they were dancing on clouds, and surrounded by and endless blue sky under a bright sun. Kathryn looked up into Chakotay's eyes, realizing that he, too, was deep in thought. Chakotay returned her loving gaze, and spun her out and then back in again, accidentally bumping a few people, who merely smiled.  
  
"My apologies," Chakotay said, receiving happy nods in reply. "Now, Kathryn, where were we..."  
  
*******  
  
Chakotay had pulled through, and was now able to recover in his own quarters. Still under strict orders from the Doctor to remain in bed, Chakotay had taken comfort in knowing that each evening Captain Janeway would drop by for a meal and to talk. As 6 PM approached daily, Chakotay's heart would beat rapidly in anticipation. How he loved to spend time with his best friend, to share his deepest thoughts and feelings with her.  
  
Kathryn Janeway smiled as she walked down the corridor towards Chakotay's quarters, carrying another of Neelix's delicious meals for thw two of them to share. A dreamy smile had begun to creep onto her face about this time every day, and while she did not notice, the crew did.   
  
One day while heading towards Chakotay's quarters once again, Kathryn was running through thoughts in her head, and began thinking about Chakotay.  
  
"He is such a wonderful man... and he hasn't complained even once about his predicament! He's the best friend I've ever had, so supportive... no wonder I love him!... Did I just think that? I love him? I really do, its just... those damned protocols..."  
  
Janeway shook her head of those thoughts and approached Chakotay's door. She rang the bell, and when she heard him call, "Come in!" she took a deep breath and entered.  
  
Janeway was greeted, as usual, with a warm smile and 'hello' from her First Officer. The doctor had said he would be in good health to return to his duties tomorrow, so this would be their last regular meal together. Chakotay was a bit nervous, because his feelings for his Captain had grown in the last week and he was afraid that would show. He had no idea that Janeway was feeling the same way.  
  
"Neelix cooked us something special for dinner. Filet Mignon with some sauteed mushrooms," Janeway began, "and he recommended a wonderful wine that I replicated for us."  
  
"That sounds wonderful. I can't wait!" Chakotay smiled. He couldn't resist gazing deep into Kathryn's eyes.  
  
Kathryn returned his smile and handed Chakotay his plate and glass of wine. The two ate in a slightly awkward atmosphere of near-silence, only making occasional comments. Breaking that pattern, Chakotay looked directly into his captain's eyes and began to speak.  
  
"Kathryn, you've done so much for me ever since I was injured. When I was alone here, confined to my bed and bored sick, you have been here every day to keep me company. I just wanted to thank you for your kindness, from the bottom of my heart."  
  
Chakotay leaned in and kissed Kathryn's cheek ever so delicately, then pulled away again, smiling gently at her. Janeway was mildly surprised, and merely returned his smile. Upon completion of the meal, Kathryn bid Chakotay good night.  
  
"Sleep well, and I'll see you on the bridge tomorrow at 0700 hours. And... you're welcome."  
  
Kathryn then turned and left, an audible, contented sigh escaping her. With that, Chakotay fell into a dreamy slumber, with visions of Kathryn dancing in his head. From that moment, protocol wasn't an issue off-duty.  
  
*******  
  
Chakotay suddenly let out a small laugh. Surprised, Kathryn asked him why he was laughing.  
  
"Oh, Kathryn! I am just... soo happy!" He said excitedly, looking straight into her eyes. "This is the best day of my life..."  
  
Chakotay picked up his captain by the wait and spun her around in a circle, then gently set her down and hugged her. The music had come to a temporary standstill, so they decided to head over to the tables of food for a quick bite and a drink.  
  
"Chakotay, we have had so many memories created on this journey, but none so wonderful as this one..."  
  
*******  
  
It had been a year and a half since Chakotay and Kathryn Janeway silently professed their feelings for one another. Their growth as a couple had not been hindered greatly by the ranks, and never did their private lives conflict with their professional ones.   
  
Kathryn had invited Chakotay to the holodeck for a little bit of R&R. This was their anniversary of being a couple for a year and a half, and they had decided to take a picnic by the Sea. The sun felt warm, the sound of the waves lapping gently against the crisp sandy beach was soothing, and a gentle, simulated breeze swept across the holodeck. Kathryn had replicated some old world sandwiches and snacks for the picnic, and both she and Chakotay were enjoying these foods. But, Chakotay had been rather silent, appearing deep in thought.  
  
"Chakotay, is anything wrong? You haven't said hardly a word," Kathryn inquired, concerned.  
  
"Oh, nothing is wrong," Chakotay replied with a smile, "I was just thinking."  
  
"Thinking? What about, if you don't mind?"  
  
"Of course I don't mind. I have been thinking about our time together. About how we are lost out here in the Delta Quadrant, thousands of lightyears away from home, but... how I don't miss home so much anymore." Chakotay said, his voice full of emotion. "Come with me, Kathryn, lets walk on the beach."  
  
She followed, but Chakotay stopped her. "No, first, take off your shoes," he said, doing the same thing.  
  
Chakotay and Kathryn walked along the beach, hand in hand, feeling the soft sand squish between their toes, and letting the cool ocean water wash around their ankles. Neither had quite experienced this sensation before, and it certainly made the scene more romantic. As they walked, Chakotay continued what he had begun to say.  
  
"All of my life, Kathryn, I've prayed that I'd find someone like you. From the moment I met you, I knew that you were the answer to those prayers. You've become so much more than my best friend, and I love you."  
  
Kathryn's eyes were welling up with tears of joy she was trying desperately not to shed. As she gazed into Chakotay's eyes, she let them fall. He dabbed them with his sleeve and pulled her close. He took both of her hands in his own, and looked into her face.   
  
"Captain Kathryn Janeway, will you marry me?"  
  
After only one moment's pause, she replied, "Of course Chakotay, I love you, too."  
  
Then their faces drew closer, and their lips met in a heartfelt kiss.  
  
*******  
  
Suddenly, Chakotay and Janeway were back in the dining hall with all of the crewmembers, who were heartily munching on Neelix's gourmet Hors D'Oeuvres, as the music once again pattered lightly in the background. Kathryn took a sip from her glass of champaigne and spoke.  
  
"Chakotay, I've waited all of my life for someone like you, too. I am so glad I found you."BRBR  
  
Chakotay took her hand and led her out to the dance floor, where they danced as everyone looked on. Tom Paris stood next to B'Elanna, his wife, and whispered into her ear.  
  
"I told you they would get together. It was only a matter of time."  
  
"Just because they're engaged now doesn't mean they'll actually get married," B'Elanna retorted with a smile, knowing that they would.  
  
Tom just chuckled and returned his gaze to the dance floor, where Voyager's command team gracefully danced, smiling peacefully as the music flowed around them and the lights danced off of them. Voyager continued on, heading towards home. 


End file.
